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Synthetic specialist earns another crack at Group level
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • October 9th, 2026 3:50 pm
Group Two performer Lhasa will contest Sunday's Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Arawa Park | Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Lhasa showed once again that he is more than just a synthetic track specialist when beating a handy line-up on the grass at Te Rapa last month, with his performance earning him another shot at black type in Sunday’s Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Arawa Park.
The seven-year-old son of Hellbent has shown a propensity for polytrack racing, recording six of his eight wins on the surface, and it wasn’t until last year that he earned his first winner’s cheque on the turf.
However, he has shown that was no fluke, finishing runner-up behind Sterling Express in last year’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and was given a crack at elite-level in this year’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in January.
He returned to the synthetic over winter where he posted a couple of placings under mammoth weight. He returned to the grass at Te Rapa last month where he enjoyed a comparatively light weight of 56kg, and he took care of a handy field, including Group One performer Affirmative Action.
“His form has been pretty good all year and each run has been a good run. The first time back on the grass this season and he really enjoyed it. It was a nice win,” trainer and part-owner Mark Treweek said. “He has done really well since his last run; I am really happy with him.”
Sunday will be Lhasa’s third tilt at weight-for-age level, and he will carry 59kg from barrier eight, with apprentice jockey Elen Nicholas aboard.
“It is a nice race worth good money, and he deserves his chance to line-up. His form is good and he is very well,” Treweek said. “Fingers crossed he can go a good race.”
All going to plan, Treweek intends on progressing with Lhasa over the warmer months, taking advantage of the better tracks, and he hasn’t ruled out another crack at elite-level.
“He has got good form on firm tracks,” he said. “There are plenty of nice races around worth reasonable money, without getting too carried away. As long as the horse is well and racing well, he will keep going.
“Everything would have to be in his favour (to tackle another Group One), but it is always worth looking at if he holds his form. I haven’t looked too far ahead from this race at this stage, this is what we have been looking at for a while, so we will just get through Sunday and see how we go.”
